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Construction glossary · Envelope and finishes

What is thresholdin construction?

A threshold is the finished sill member at the bottom of a door opening that bridges two floor finishes, seals the gap under the door, and on exterior doors sheds water. It is selected by door type and condition, such as saddle, ADA-compliant beveled, thermal-break exterior, or panic-rated. The estimator counts thresholds off the door schedule by opening, then prices each by type.

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Updated August 2026 · Reviewed by the Ruh construction team

ADA max rise 1/2 in beveledLocation Bottom of door openingMaterial Aluminum / oak / stoneTakeoff Each door, by width

Door threshold section at sill

Door + sweepThreshold (alum / oak)Sill pan + sealantSubfloor / slab edge3.5-5.5 in deep1/2 in ADA max rise
The definition

Threshold, explained.

In commercial work the threshold is the piece that finishes and seals the bottom of a door opening. Its type follows the door it serves. An exterior storefront or hollow-metal door takes a thermal-break aluminum threshold with a weather seal and often a rain drip; an interior door across a flooring transition takes a saddle or transition threshold; an accessible opening takes a low-profile beveled threshold within code height limits; and a fire or panic opening takes a threshold compatible with the rated hardware set. As an estimator you do not guess these from the floor plan. You read the door schedule and the door hardware sets, because the threshold is usually specified as part of the hardware group for each opening. Each opening is one threshold, counted by mark, with the type pulled from the schedule and the hardware spec. Material (mill or anodized aluminum, bronze, stainless), width to match the frame throat, and length to match the door width all feed the unit price. Thresholds price each, not by the foot.

How it is measured

Thresholds are counted as each by opening, taken straight off the door schedule and matched to the door hardware sets, which usually list the threshold within the hardware group. You tally one threshold per door opening, sort by type (saddle, ADA beveled, thermal-break exterior, rated), and confirm length against the door leaf width and width against the frame throat in the frame detail. Exterior and rated openings are flagged separately because their thresholds cost more and carry seals and drips. The deliverable is a count by type with a length per piece, since longer pairs or unequal openings change the unit. No linear-foot summation is needed; the count by type drives both material and install labor.

Worked example

A worked threshold example.

Worked example

From a door schedule of 40 openings, sort by threshold type pulled from the hardware sets. Say 28 interior openings need a saddle threshold, 8 exterior openings need a thermal-break aluminum threshold with seal, and 4 accessible openings need an ADA beveled threshold. Price each on the book at illustrative US installed rates: saddle at 45 dollars each, thermal-break exterior at 140 dollars each, ADA beveled at 95 dollars each. Saddle: 28 x 45 = 1,260 dollars. Exterior: 8 x 140 = 1,120 dollars. ADA: 4 x 95 = 380 dollars. Total = 1,260 + 1,120 + 380 = 2,760 dollars across 40 thresholds. Notice the 8 exterior openings, just 20 percent of the count, carry 41 percent of the threshold cost, which is why sorting by type off the schedule matters more than a flat per-door number.

How Ruh handles it

How Ruh handles threshold.

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Threshold: frequently asked questions

Where does the threshold spec actually live on the drawings?+

In the door schedule and the door hardware sets. The threshold is normally listed inside the hardware group for each opening, so you read it there rather than inferring it from the floor plan or finish plan.

Do I price thresholds by the foot or each?+

Each, by opening and by type. A threshold is cut to the door width and priced as a unit, so you count one per opening and sort by type, since an exterior thermal-break piece costs several times a plain interior saddle.

Why separate exterior thresholds from interior ones in the takeoff?+

Because exterior and rated thresholds carry weather seals, thermal breaks, or rated compatibility that raise the unit cost. Lumping them with interior saddles understates the number on the openings that drive the most dollars.

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Related terms

Window sillDoor hardware setswhat is flashing in constructionLVT (luxury vinyl tile)VCT (vinyl composition tile)

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